Author Focus: Kazuo Ishiguro | Discussion & Recommendations
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- Опубликовано: 6 фев 2025
- Kazuo Ishiguro is one of my favourite discoveries of the past year, and I give my thoughts and recommendations of his books in this video. Thank you for watching!
Please follow these links if you would like to read about or buy any of the books:
A Pale View of Hills: amzn.to/2snAZRJ
An Artist of the Floating World: amzn.to/2sis6NP
The Remains of the Day: amzn.to/2tZobmu
The Unconsoled: amzn.to/2sSsfq8
When We Were Orphans: amzn.to/2tZxEKx
Never Let Me Go: amzn.to/2sSMfZJ
The Buried Giant: amzn.to/2sSolxD
Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall: amzn.to/2siQAH0
Twitter: @kathrynhaldane
Yay, Ishiguro! I love his works! I just finished Never Let Me Go, which, oddly enough, was the last one of his works that I picked up - mainly because I saw the movie few years ago and was already familiar with the story (needless to say, seeing the movie first had a slightly negative effect on the reading experience). I think you summed up Ishiguro brilliantly.
Same themes throughout his works, yet never too repetitive, he always has some new angle and I think he skillfully uses different genre conventions to bring out the desired effect (detective story in WWWO, dystopian scifi in NLMG, fantasy in TBG).
First novel of his I read was Remains of the Day - probably one of my favourite novels ever. The second one I read was TBG: Not what I expected, but I was equally impressed by it. Now that I've read all of his works, I appreciate it even more. It is clear Ishiguro wants to develop as a writer and wants to explore new grounds - for example, the use of 3rd person instead of 1st person narrator! It is such as striking difference compared to his other novels. To tell this story, he had to use 3rd person, I don't think it would have been equally effective had it been in the 1st person. When the things are revealed in the end, the shock is as real both to us readers as it is to Axel and Beatrice.
In fact, I'm actually going to write my MA thesis on his work(s), with particular focus on The Buried Giant. Exploring the themes of national vs. personal identity (linked with individual and collective memory) and possibly intertextuality as a form of cultural memory, as the novel takes a lot from literary heritage, so to say: there's Arthur myth, Sir Gawain, some moments that bring Beowulf to mind, Beatrice guiding Axel towards doom (cf. Dante). Sometimes for the sake of national unity it might be better to keep the giants buried.
Even if I focus on TBG, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy his other works. In fact, I really liked When we were orphans, and I just loved An artist of the floating world - the conflicts of generations, east vs. west, guild and shame (which are rather Japanese ideas - in fact, there is some relation to samurai ethics once you start to explore). I wasn't too fond of his short stories, unfortunately: they were nice small glimpses dealing with nostalgia, but I think they needed longer build up to be effective.
You said you haven't read A pale view... and The Unconsoled. Well, it is pretty clear the first one is his first novel. It deals with themes that we encounter in his later novels and is charming in its own right, but it is quite rough on the edges and lacks the subtlety of, say, Remains of the Day. The Unconsoled is a WEIRD one... in fact, I still haven't quite formed an opinion of it. I would say it is by far his most unique novel and it has some dreamlike quality to it. Good or not, I don't really know, but it certainly still lingers in my mind. I would suggest leaving that book until last.
My god did this become such a long post...sorry! It is so easy to get carried away when I get excited!
Ishiguro certainly deserves more attention.
Thanks for creating this author spotlight video :)
Thank you for your comment, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on Ishiguro's work. Your ideas for your MA thesis sound fascinating, good luck with that! You've picked up on some really interesting points about The Buried Giant, and I definitely thought there was a lot of intertextuality in that novel which would be really interesting to explore more in depth. I will definitely get around to reading his other novels eventually, even if they're not as critically acclaimed as some of the ones I've already read. I agree, although his novels receive a lot of accolades, I rarely hear people talk about him so I'm always recommending his work to people because I definitely think he deserves more attention. :)
Ishiguro just won the Nobel prize for literature! Hooray! Maybe he finally gets the attention he deserves :)
I was delighted to hear the news today! He's a really respected author but not many average readers know about him, so hopefully his work will reach a wider audience now. I hope your thesis writing is going well. :)
The first Ishiguro book I'd heard about was The Remains Of The Day and I've always been curious about it. Knowing that Anthony Hopkins plays the main character in the film of it and always liking his performances greatly helps of course.
It's a slow-burner of a book but really enjoyable. I've not actually seen the film version yet but I would really like to!
that's my favourite of his work. a great work
Great video. I just read An Artist of the Floating World. It was fantastic! It’s ironic that you said not to start with that book, but that’s what I did haha. Thanks for making this.
that's a great novella. i started with that one too. loved it and led me into reading all his novels.
I really enjoyed your review and thoughts on Kazuo Ishiguro's works, although I had to "mute" the section on Never Let Me Go as that is the book that I'm reading right now. After having read all of Haruki Murakami's English translated books, back to back, with the exception of the recently released Killing Commendatore, I, like you, was drawn to Kazuo Ishiguro. However, they are as you say very different writers. One striking difference that I found was that Murakami tends to write in a fixed, simple style, so much so, that one can feel right at home when picking up a new novel of his. However, Ishiguro tends to alter the style and language based on the setting of the novel. Having already read Remains of the Day and The Buried Giant, I really am impressed with how Ishiguro is able to "customize" the language and style. After I finish Never Let Me Go, I plan on reading An Artist of the Floating World and then The Unconsoled followed by Killing Commendatore. That should keep me busy!!! Thank you for posting your video. It was well done.
I have loved the Ishiguro I've read so far, but I'm now even more excited to get to An Artist of the Floating World. I also need to get to The Unconsoled and A Pale View of the Hills. Ishiguro is one of my favourites.
He's one of mine too so I would really like to get around to the novels of his that I've not read yet as well.
Thanks for the video and sharing. Maybe you have an updated video with Klara and The Sun but I am happy that you talked about his other books. I'll try reading the Arthurian one next. Thanks for the recommendation.
Thank you for this, a wonderful look at his work; great to get an idea of where to start with his work
Ishiguro's books don't lack resolution, but you need to pay attention and mull a little to realize they do bring closure. He's a literary writer, so chew his fiction slowly to get all the juices out
I actually highly recommend An Artist of the Floating World as a good starting point. With A View of Pale Hills, Ishiguro felt somewhat unsatisfied with how it reminded him of a script: there was dialogue and action, but not much else. He wanted to move on from that book and write a story in a way that captured the essence of the novel-he wanted to tell a story in a way that only a novel could handle. He found out how to do this when he became sick and read Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust. He realized that composing a story through the unstructured form of memory as Proust did could only be done with the written word. An Artist of the Floating World marks the starting point of this writing style that has since defined his work.
I've been wondering about this author, and find your video very informative. I definitely assumed he wrote Japanese literature! I think I will start with The Remains of the Day.
I hope you enjoy it :)
his style is very japanese (he said so), and i made a video about it. watch it if you have time.
i love ishiguro (made a video about it, watch it if you have time) and his novels. For me his best novels were the early ones. love your videos (subscribed)
Please come back
You look a lot like my favourite Valentina Nappi 💕
I am reading this novel now, but unfortunately I feel boring in the beginning and there is unnecessary descriptive in some places, anyhow I am planning to finish reading this book.
Thank you.
Could you get a hang of 'The Unconsoled'?
Obviously I'm not the person in the video, but I tried reading it for AP Literature back in 12th grade (literally 10 years ago almost) and I was obsessed. At the same time, it was way too hard for me back then and the vast majority of the book went way over my head lol
The Unconsoled is the only Ishiguro novel I did not finish.
I have only read The Remains of the Day (one of my favourites of 2017) and The Buried Giant. I have been meaning to read more and you have encouraged me.
Interesting point regarding Ishiguro v Murakami. Ishiguro is much more “universal” as you said.
Which would you recommend next (apart from Never Let Me Go)?
I personally also really enjoyed An Artist of The Floating World, though it is more understated than his other novels.
The Reader's Athenaeum that is the one I thought I would try next. Thanks for the recommendation. 😊
For me, there is no comparison between Ishiguro and Murakami. Murakami seems to be adept at creating a sense of emotional coldness, but little else. His characters are like stick figures, and evoke just as much empathy in me as the latter would. Ishiguro, by contrast, creates flesh and blood characters and a fantastically believable voice in the novels I've read. Remains of the Day is completely compelling, and weaves the personal and historical in an effortless fashion. I am currently working my way through The Unconsoled, which is an irritating read (it is like a very long anxiety dream, reminiscent of Kafka), but beautifully written and extremely amusing. Oh, and there is also no comparison in terms of their nationality, as Ishiguro is a Briton who merely happened to be born in Japan.
Your beauty is out of this world.
Did you get to The Unconsoled? What did you think compared to the others?
I haven't yet, I must try to get around to it soon!
@@TheReadersAthenaeum Man survives by forgetting his memories, but there are some things a man should never forget. Yet the mist covers all memories…
The bad as well as the good…😭
You are so pretty🥰
Which one is the best? I would like to start reading Ishuguro
I would highly recommend "Never let me go". It will immerse you into the deepest human emotions and it is masterfully written.
@@kylelarson3126 sure thank you.
Anyway, why did you say 'Never let me go' is a dystopian?
Hey, this is a great commentary on Kazuo Ishiguro! Your take on him is really interesting. A friend of mine just did a review of his book The Buried Giant. Check it out and let them know what you think!
ruclips.net/video/OgQLEZUwW0g/видео.html
woman. your dark purple lip gloss is better. ； ）
Do you have a boyfriend or pen pal?
Is that an offer?